They've said almost nothing else about the device, mind. Even the screen size - said to be 9in - and the price - hoped to be under £100 - come from speculation and gadget buyer desire rather than official leaks.

That price is highly unlikely if the e-book reader combines all three wireless connectivity modes, but there's nothing the unnamed executives said that indicates the reader will contain all three.

Asus, like all other Taiwanese manufacturers, is obsessed with multiple model numbers, so we can surely expect readers with none, one, some or all of these connectivity options. We'll have our eye on the first of these potential SKUs, but there's no guarantee any or all will make it to specific territories.

The WiMax models will only go to territories with commercial WiMax infrastructure, and it seems that the 3G model will be pitched at carriers who can then give it away with expensive airtime packages. This may happen in March 2010, the executives said. ®